The Stages
This book is not just about the actual writing of essays; it’s also about
the various stages you need to go through to produce a good essay,
and about the ways in which this can improve your learning. Once
you’ve worked your way through it, you’ll find you have an invaluable
guide that you can keep by your side as you write your essays, to give
you answers to problems as they arise.Why write essays?If you understand the value of doing something, you normally find
you’re more confident and positive about tackling it. So, what are the
reasons for writing essays?- It forces you to organise your thinking and develop your
ideas on the issues
In one sense writing is thecrucial step in the process of learning
a subject, in that it helps you to get to grips with the new ideas.
Without this it’s difficult, if not impossible, to know clearly just how
well you’ve understood the subject. - Feedback
In the same way, it also provides you with the opportunity to get
feedback from your tutor, not just on how well you’ve understood
the subject, but on how well you’ve communicated this, and where
your strengths and weaknesses are, so you can concentrate your
energies more effectively. - Revision material
If you’ve planned the essay well, so that it’s got a clear structure,
you’ll find, when it comes to preparing for the final exam, that the
plan itself is just about the most important revision material you
have. It shows you how you’ve come to understand the topic, and
how you’ve organised the ideas. As such, it is the one thing that
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